The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-11-06
A MIGHTY BEAR HUNTER.
HE SAYS BE HAS KILLED AND TRAPPED
MORE THAN 900 BEAR2

fEss Huntiug Ground In the Poccno Rauaes
The story that Bears 90 into Deus ard
Sleep Through the Wtster . Ffction--A
Farmer's Tussis with Bear In his Yard.
SCRANTON, Nov. 5.-Bear hunters In the
Pooona, Tobyhanna, Gouldsborro. and Sprina
Brook regions say that there nre quite as many
bears this fall a. there were ten or fifteen years
ago, II you only knew where to look for them.
In the vast marshes and swamps that extend
from Tobyhanna clear down to the headwaters
OF the Lehigh River and Trout Run and on the
scrub oak lowered ridges and among the nu.
merous lodges that intervene, bears find
secure hiding places and an abundance
Of both animal and vegetable food. Hun.
tors who are familiar with this barren
and desolate region OF northwestern Penn.
sylvania which divides the waters Of the
susauehanna River and the Delaware. and
which extends from the anthracite coal de-
posts for forty miles to the east. say that the
land IL so worthless that It will always be q
home for the festive bear. Nothing can DO
done with the immense swamps, and the soil
OF the uplans Is so thin and poor that nothing
but scrub oaks and little runts Of hemlocks
will grow on 1t. Therefore It is safe TO say
that bears will thrive there until several gem
creations OF men have come ana gone. The
natives are the best bear hunters In this In
teresting region. and among them Giles Lamp
man is altogether the most successful.
Giles was born In the western part OF Nom
roe county 81 years ago. and he has hunted
bear from Pokono Knob all through the Pocono
ranges clear to Glen Summit and the Nescopeck
region. and he knows moro about the nature
and habits OF the bear than any other man In
that region For two hours the other day
Giles talked to the writer about his expert
ence in the spruce forests and laurel swamps.
and his talk WAs very entertaining,
1.-THE FIRST bear ever killed." said Giles.
was on the day that James X. Polk was elected
President That was forty three year ago, but
/ remember 1t a plaguey sight plainer'n do
good many things that've happened sence.
Polk was the first President ever voted fur.
an. seem that killed my, fust bear on that
day, why shouldn't l remember it1 wasn't
old 'nough to vote In 40, but was In ~, an
votod niry. an then went bear huntin long
with Zene seaver. Men Zene'd heerd some
one say that two or three beard been seen over
on the Deer Run slope, an we took couple OF
doge an went over there right after dinner. II
want much trouble In them days to rout
ND a bear cause they didn't hide as much
as they do now an fore we'd been out an hour.
the dogs got into q tussle with an ole he one
an GOT the wust Of 1t. BY the time 4 reached
kea one o me doss an rusd tothsr
shot him down as he WE maxim fur ths sw'a%p
de WAS q whopper. an WAS prona 'eIiet IuL
!! des, sssn as though That was aoFs'n fort;
W. How many bears b have you killed since then.
till I'd reached three hundred, an sence then
sp ssmsaSsS sS lss and SSs
$751;
E pssr q mile 10Y FORE re- come s W e him II
never sss: VS. isst : sqin, 70 hii lin IL ths
s ss ss gnf os hs % n
WHY sSta n ssy sqss thiss; = III 1Inds;
ess S9sa nun He
bears; cause aos iEs H. Az = y III
Hill Hill iired at Gis teller ia tracked mSst al
day an, tnooked him over: ae laid sun. a.
10 to cut n:
b s0n to es t to 70
With h liz s10S To se
an IN my best St .,o on
WHIT VIII that nI pesEy yfsip iar she IN liz:
iii Yf hs u 60 SO weak he ia to lay down. an then
flushed him."
DO bears 60 into their dens IN tho winter
snd eR iSins Sp in heap and SUCK 'h''r paws
s I've hss,d h that tainf
That o, iS%ns but hss oa
] as tosSps
S1s %o n yhsn laid TAKE hs
tie tOuRh0r'Q las wintar. an thath GAVIN n
Ssss %sSs % Him. Ii "A, Ss;s1 az
the more they ' roam oStsde tSsf ,as
ds s s1 ta az hsf h'R 'R0T hs
ssWamps an 50 they have TO sneak outside to
aHs t their az p Hes re fno@
There's no sense In sayin' that they do.
yd osn *s ~es su 5 eon
hunted bear In Spence Swamp when the snoW
sS m I ssD skin S0a Ms
81 an the bear that skin was took from shot
when he was wallerin' in the snow up 70 hiis
moGgin' round in the snow clear up to your
sSs an s5ss 'siR
When the SHOWS been deep fur two or three
we b..4 sen Time bs t. s tSsps
They're f hustin' round ind after dark hSntin FUR
fodder, an they come right into the barnyards
TO 60 out into the swamps 10 set your traps.
You Jist set EN- near the barnyards. an you'll
git a bear now'n then. sure's you live. The
harder the winter the more bears You'll hear
an own sheep: I've had sheen an pigs stole
right In the middle OF winter. an I've seen the
mornin,.. 80 / knowd what had stole
em. That don't look as II bears went
to sleep In holss durin' cold weather.,
does 1t? They may, lay down an resi-
fur a day or two when they git their
curtin curtin up an goin, to sleep fur month or AZ
in Of the kind. Now las winter was bout, as
tough 3 one As we ginerally git here IN the po.
bear er two every month. The las one ketch-
ed was In March. an | got him In q trap uesr
the age OF Kilam's swamp.
II any Of you teors down TO Scranton want
some fun thar IL fun Jest git party t'gether an
como up here right after the first light snow
fall. Bring along half a dozen OF the meInest
dogs In the town. an we'll go over TO, Bear
Swamp an lot them dogs git Killed, III guar.
antee well have more sport than the dogs, an
II we don't bring back one bear for every two
dead dogs I'll plank down as much cash rs the